PROVIDING HOPE: Hopefest featured $2 million donation

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HopeFest 2014, an outdoor concert put on by the Carson Tahoe Health Foundation Friday, featured Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Troubadours along with fare and raffle tickets for fundraising.

The free concert at the medical center campus was to raise money to help cancer patients defray expenses for lodging and other needs when they come to the medical center campus’s Cancer Center. All proceeds from the sale of food, drinks and raffle tickets directly benefit such patients and their families, according to the foundation.

“In addition to facing a life-threatening cancer diagnosis, many patients are also faced with the overwhelming anxiety surrounding the unplanned expenses that come with it,” said Kitty McKay, the foundation’s development officer.

She said all proceeds go for lodging, for those from rural areas, as well as aid to travel, medication and other needs.

Jon Tyler, CTH public relations spokesman, added organizers were excited to have the well-known McClain group on hand and said this year’s version again was a great chance to support a wonderful cause.

McClain’s group, which provides a mix of cowboy jazz, Tex-Mex and rhythm and blues for audiences, offered those on hand a musical backdrop on the campus at the center on Medical Parkway during an event that ran from 5 to 8 p.m. It came an hour after recognition for a woman who earlier donated $2 million, which provided 15 cottages for lodging to help cancer patients and their families.

Ruth Merriner, who donated the funds in the aftermath of her late husband’s care at Carson Tahoe Health, was feted in the pre-concert ceremony. When she provided the financing for housing, she cited the “high level of care” her husband, Del, had received before he died.

For the subsequent concert, Carson City auto dealer Dick Compagni again donated a car or $10,000, whichever a winner wanted, in a raffle costing $20 per ticket or $100 for a half dozen. Campagni has been doing that for years. High Sierra Brewing again was a sponsor and food was from The Firkin & Fox, according to Tyler.

Last year’s HopeFest was delayed due to the Yosemite rim fire fallout here and even got moved to 3rd Street downtown, but this year’s event returned to the medical center campus.